When the ancient Polynesians invented surfing, they often used a paddle to help them navigate. Fast-forward a few millennia, and Stand-Up Paddleboarding, or SUP, finds itself trendy again. Part of its increasing popularity is that standing upright allows surfers to spot waves more easily and thus catch more of them, multiplying the fun factor. Paddling back to the wave becomes less of a strain as well. The ability to cruise along on flat inland water, surveying the sights, is another advantage. Finally, its a good core workout. If youre sold on the idea, schedule an intro SUP lesson, free with board and paddle rental, and you may find yourself riding the waves like a Polynesian king.More

In the past 30 years, light artists have reimagined an art form that has always had the ability to turn the night sky, or a simple window, into luminescence. Last fall, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts turned its southern glass wall into a parade of sound-sensing lights, Lightswarm, that changes with the movements of nearby people and things. Future Cities Lab, the San Francisco design company behind Lightswarm, has originated another notable light sculpture. Located by the YBCA's steps at 701 Mission, Murmur Wall will light up in arresting ways as it incorporates local trending search engine results and social media postings. Onlookers can offer their own contributions, which will feed into the Murmur Wall's data stream and light up the sculpture. What's trending in San Francisco? If you're walking by the YBCA, you can see firsthand — at least through light patterns that reflect the city's volatile internet habits.
Murmur Wall debuts Thursday at 6 p.m. and continues through May 31, 2017, at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission St., S.F. Free; 415-978-2700 or ybca.org. More

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Pickup basketball is a weird social phenomenon where a bunch of strangers meet at a designated spot during a designated time to engage in an athletic competition governed by de facto rules established in some mythic rulebook.

If this is the case, the federal Justice Department's crackdown on California's medical marijuana industry is only partway there; about a dozen Bay Area dispensaries have been shuttered, yet would-be cannabis sellers are lining up to open more, according to records.

For those of you into medical marijuana, know this: Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent David White is onto you. White, of the San Francisco Field Division's Financial Investigation Team, in June requested and received the applications, including personal contact information, for all proposed San Francisco medical marijuana dispensaries, according to public records.

Requests from White have been precursors to letters from U.S.
Attorney Melinda Haag forcing dispensaries to close down
rather than face stiff penalties, including jail time.

The information granted to White is publicly available to anyone who asks. That includes redacted copies of Department of Public Health permit applications, along with a would-be dispensary operator's name, age, driver license number, and contact information. They also include the property address of a proposed dispensary.

Last fall, White requested files on three dispensaries, all of which were shut down by Christmas. He then requested files on two more (shut down by January), then four more (all of which were out of business by the end of July). In the spring, he requested the file on all existing dispensaries, and then requested the file on all proposed or permitted-but-not-yet open dispensaries in June, according to records.

White, working with Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvon J. Perteet, is also involved in the forfeiture action pending against Harborside Health Center, California's largest dispensary, according to records.

One may ask why a financial investigator would take interest in an operation that, while federally illegal, has yet to begin operating.

E-mails sent to White were returned by Casey McEnry, a DEA spokeswoman, who in turn referred SF Weekly to the U.S. Attorney's Office for comment. The local arm of the Justice Department has responded to nearly all press inquiries regarding the marijuana crackdown since last year with a "no comment."

So the crackdown continues into its 11th month. How to judge its efficacy? Here's a telling anecdote: One of the applications for a new dispensary was filed in March by Joseph Hunt, whose Mr. Nice Guy on Valencia Street was one of the first dispensaries shut down by the feds in December.

About The Author

Bio:
Chris Roberts has spent most of his adult life working in San Francisco news media, which is to say he's still a teenager in Middle American years. He has covered marijuana, drug policy, and politics for SF Weekly since 2009.

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Sub Pop recording artists 'clipping.' brought their brand of noise-driven experimental hip hop to the closing night of 2016's San Francisco Electronic Music Fest this past Sunday. The packed Brava Theater hosted an initially seated crowd that ended the night jumping and dancing against the front of the stage. The trio performed a set focused on their recently released Sci-Fi Horror concept album, 'Splendor & Misery', then delved into their dancier and more aggressive back catalogue, and recent single 'Wriggle'.
Opening performances included local experimental electronic duo 'Tujurikkuja' and computer music artist 'Madalyn Merkey.'"